


Confounding Days of Our Lives

by cynatnite



Series: The Clint Barton and Tony Stark Playbook of Brothers [4]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bad mood Phil, Brothers, Formula 1 Tony Stark, I'm sorry the build is so slow, Medical Inaccuracies, Pre-Slash, Science innacuracies, clint and tony are brothers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-06
Updated: 2017-06-06
Packaged: 2018-11-09 15:53:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,697
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11107848
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cynatnite/pseuds/cynatnite
Summary: Tony is dying with Daddy issues and Clint is there for him. Phil is in a bad mood and no one knows why.





	Confounding Days of Our Lives

**Author's Note:**

> So, I changed a scene and made up medical and science stuff. All errors and well, all of the confusion is mine. Sorry.

In the last few years one thing could always be counted on in regard to Phil Coulson, Clint figured. The man had a good appetite, but his food choices were terrible. Drive - thrus, quick stops and chain restaurants consisted most of his eating habits. It was due to the horrendous work schedule for the most part. On missions, Phil ate whatever was closest and on occasion he did make an acceptable meal that gave Clint a bit of a shock although he made sure not to show it.

Today, however, Clint was intent on treating Phil to a delicious healthy meal. He’d searched high and low outside his Bed Stuy neighborhood for the best steaks he could find. Along with that was a delicious strawberry salad with all the right healthy ingredients. A decadent strawberry chocolate dessert that would satisfy Phil Coulson’s love of chocolate.

It was Formula 1 race day and Clint couldn’t wait for Phil’s arrival. Over the last few years they’d gotten to spending more off time hanging out. The race was a huge deal. Tony’s new car was set to debut. Clint hated not being there, but spending the time with Phil more than made up for it.

Clint preferred the downhome feel of the old neighborhood. It had been his intent to just rent an apartment, but upon finding the place being bullied by a track suit mafia, he’d taken it upon himself to not just dispense some old-fashioned Hawkeye justice. He bought the building, lowered the rent and set about to making sure every apartment got a decent remodel.

The residents had more or less adopted him and Lucky. After a mission, he got no less than a batch of cookies or brownies as well as spaghetti bake which he shared with Lucky. He loved the building and even his brother admitted that the real estate was a good investment.

It was still an hour from start time and Phil would be arriving any minute. The phone interruption was poorly timed.

“ _I still can’t believe you’re not here_ ,” Tony complained.

“You shouldn’t be surprised.” Clint checked the steaks and went back to slicing strawberries.

“ _You could’ve brought your boyfriend. I’m going to show off my driving prowess_.”

“He’s not my…wait, what?” Clint gripped the knife tighter. “You’re driving your own car?”

“ _Our car_ ,” Tony corrected. “ _The mods you designed are legal_.”

“Tony, you can’t. You’re paying the driver a six-figure salary and plus it’s…I don’t know…rude.”

“ _He’ll get over it. So, are you telling Agent_?”

“I hope you mean that I’ve got an insanely wealthy brother who is also crazy and narcissistic as hell.”

“ _That’s pretty good, but not what I meant. You’re evading_.”

“Yep. I heard you got a new assistant.” Clint went back to work on the salad. It needed more strawberries. “Oh, blueberries, too.”

“ _Don’t tell me how you’re going to seduce the Suit_ ,” Tony warned. “ _She’s from legal. It’s hot that I think she can kick my ass.”_

“God, Tony, don’t.” Clint squeezed his eyes shut. Natasha could add some psychological damage to boot.

“ _The woman modeled in Japan_.”

_That couldn’t have gone over well with Natasha_ , Clint thought. She’d hated the op every moment. He’d gotten flung all over the gym mats for his asset comment. Phil had laughed. That was a plus.

“Aren’t you at the track yet?”

“ _Pulling in now_ ,” Tony informed him. “ _Hey, let me know if Agent is impressed_.”

Clint shook his head and got the blueberries from the fridge. After he finished the salad, he did a final check around the apartment. His adopted mother always said that good entertainment was about making people feel at home.

When Phil arrived, Clint to this day was still taken aback at how good the man looked in casual jeans. He’d gotten a bit of a clumsy period when he and Phil began hanging out when not working. A pair of jeans and a t-shirt had caused Clint to trip over his own feet more than once.

Then there was the time when he went to Phil’s small garage and offered to help with Lola. Phil had agreed, but then Clint spent the entire time handing tools like a nurse for a doctor. He and Phil shared a classic car passion, but was put off at not being able to dive in with Phil. It all went out the window when Phil raised his head.

Nothing was hotter in Clint’s world than seeing Phil with grease up to his elbows and a streak of it running from the corner of his nose to those damn beautiful lips. Clint had lost the ability to speak for nearly a minute.

“Smells delicious,” Phil commented.

“Oh, yeah,” Clint said shaking himself out of the memory. “It’s ready. I thought we’d eat first during the pre-race.”

“Sounds good.” Phil held up a sack. “I bought beer.”

“It’ll go perfect with the steaks.” The wine in the fridge was overkill anyway. Clint took the sack and opened two bottles. He smiled at seeing Phil giving Lucky a snack from his jacket.

Seeing Phil enjoying the dinner was pleasure within itself. He loved seeing Phil happy. Their world was filled with violence and death. It was easy to take the darkness home and he suspected Phil did that more than he’d admit.

“I’d call it a minor miracle that Natasha hasn’t murdered Stark in his sleep,” Clint stated.

“Not so much,” Phil answered. He savored the steak before speaking again. “She said he’s not as bad as she expected.”

“Oh.” Clint was sure she was taking it easy on his account. “That’s good, I guess.”

“Clint, Stark won’t be allowed on the Initiative.”

“What? Why?” Clint couldn’t believe it. “Tony Stark would be perfect. He’s a superhero. He’s proven it over and over.”

“If you knew him personally, you wouldn’t defend him so quickly.”

Clint bit his tongue before speaking again. “Anyone who’s that capable and can make a difference as he has is someone SHIELD should be actively recruiting.”

“The senate hearing alone nearly disqualifies him. SHIELD needs their support and Stark goes out of his way to antagonize them.”

“Stein is a douche, Phil.”

“Senator Stein also has the ear of the president and his hand on the purse strings can be tightened in a heartbeat.”

“You’re wrong about Tony Stark.”

“It doesn’t matter what I think. The WSC overrode Director Fury.”

“So, Fury wants him?”

“Nick is still on the fence, but the WSC called it.” Phil took a pull from the beer. “I’ve recommended you and Natasha for the Initiative.”

Clint then laughed. “You have a terrible sense of humor. Natasha could lead it.”

“And you?”

After shifting in his seat, Clint took a deep breath. “I’m just a carnie with good aim, Phil. What you and Fury have in mind are for people with superhuman skills.”

“You don’t think you would fit? You’re a top agent at SHIELD and it’s not because of your aim. You’re a brilliant strategist, Clint. I’ve never seen anyone with your tactics and abilities to think your way out of every situation you’ve been faced with. That’s not to mention the incredible feats I’ve seen you perform. R&D have spent the last three years begging Fury to read you in on their most classified work.”

Wow, Clint thought. He’d never heard such praise from Coulson. Clint would’ve preened in normal circumstances and as great as the Initiative sounded, he couldn’t do it. The Initiative would be face of SHIELD and there was no doubt the world’s attention would eclipse even his brother’s spot in the limelight.

Clint was about to tell Phil no when the TV got their attention. Phil was already on his feet and moving closer.

“What the hell is he doing?” Phil wondered aloud.

Tony was on the screen talking to the drive who threw down his helmet and stormed off.

“He’s driving.” Clint went to stand next to him. “Think he’ll win?”

Phil looked at Clint like he’d lost his mind. “It’s a spectacularly bad idea.”

“Tony Stark loves the spotlight. Plus, you’ve got to have balls to be Iron Man. We shouldn’t be surprised.”

“You’re obviously not.”

“All the better if Iron Man wins at Monte Carlo, Phil. I’ll get us some beer.”

By the time Clint returned with the bottles, Phil was still on his feet. Only this time, the camera was aimed at a man in orange walking onto the track.

“What the hell,” Clint whispered still holding the beer in his hands.

The helmet came off and electrified whips were snapping about as the coveralls burned away exposing the tattoos covering the muscled skin. Chaos erupted as the man destroyed the first car to cross his path.

“Holy shit!” The man was after Tony. There was no doubt in Clint’s mind.

They both stood transfixed as the villain took his rampage out on Tony, then the limo showed up and Clint’s heart pounded when he saw the flash of red hair that he knew was not Natasha’s.

“Where the hell is Nat?” Clint asked.

“She won’t blow her cover unless she absolutely has to,” Phil answered. “Besides, he can’t survive much more from the Rolls.”

Crowds cheered once Tony got his suit and Clint finally breathed. It was a struggle, but there wasn’t a doubt his brother would prevail. What had Clint’s attention was the reactor in the bad guy’s tech. A million questions raged through his mind.

“We have to go.” Phil took the beers from Clint and set them on the table. “SHIELD is going to want answers how that technology got in the hands of someone we’ve never seen before.”

“Yeah, okay.” Clint watched the man being dragged off before moving.

 

~*~

 

Clint paced at the far end of the conference room with Nick Fury leaning in his chair reading through a file. The news on the way to headquarters confirmed Tony Stark along with Pepper and Happy were safe. Questions were swirling about the technology the bad guy inflicted on Iron Man.

He stopped when Phil entered the room.

“I should be getting a call from my contact at Interpol.”

“Check this out,” Fury said.

The video from the race was replayed and was stopped on the attacker. It was zoomed onto one of the barely scene tattoos.

“Anyone else think it’s Russian?” Nick asked.

“Quite possible,” Phil answered. “Russian prisoners do come away with some unique artwork. We need more photos to confirm, but it’s a place to start.”

“ _Sir, Agent Romanov is on line four_ ,” the voice over the intercom stated.

Nick answered. “Romanov, what have you got.”

“ _French authorities granted Stark’s request to see him. Fortunately, they have cameras in their interrogation rooms_.”

“Let’s see it,” Phil said.

The scene opened on the flat screen hanging on the wall. Clint moved closer as Tony entered the room. No one spoke as the conversation between them had Clint’s chest tightening. The Starks were thieves and butchers, he said.  He could barely breathe.

The next words made Clint freeze.

“ _Hey, Tony. Palladium in the chest. Painful way to die_.”

Nick stopped the video.

“Anton Vanko worked with Howard Stark,” he announced and pointed at the TV. “That is his son.”

“Bad blood that filtered to the kid, I imagine,” Clint said. His mind was on Tony, who was likely starting to show symptoms of palladium poisoning. He missed it completely.

“It explains how he was able to recreate the arc reactor in his chest,” Phil glanced at Clint.

“Can palladium kill?” Nick asked.

“There’s no shielding for it,” Clint answered. He had to sit down before he lost it. “It powers his suit and as it’s used the decay would get into his blood stream, poisoning him.”

“Are you sure, Barton?” Nick’s question seemed to be asking another. Clint wasn’t going to think too hard on that.

“I read all the material. I can’t think of any combination of elements that could stop what’s happening. Tony Stark could, but if it’s advanced enough, his thinking might be impaired.”

Phil came over to Clint. “If it can’t be stopped at this point, can we slow it down or reverse the damage enough for Stark to figure it out?”

“I don’t know, Phil. Lithium can affect blood flow and it’s used for bipolar patients. There may be a lack of oxygen as a result of palladium poisoning and it can be countered with dioxide, but there’s no way.”

“ _Why?_ ” Natasha asked.

“Lithium and dioxide can’t exist together. It’s impossible. You’d have change the molecular…”

“What?” Nick got to his feet.

Clint looked at the room. “We change the molecular geometry to make them work together. It’s a one in a million shot that this could lower the toxicity level in Tony’s blood.”

“Do it,” Nick ordered. He looked at Phil. “As soon as he’s done, we’re on a plane.”

After Nick left, Clint started out of the room and was met by Phil at the door.

“Don’t ever think you’re not exactly what the Initiative needs whether you take the job or not.”

The soft blue eyes got a half smile from Clint. Phil believed in him and it meant the world.

 

~*~

 

When Clint saw Phil exiting the mansion, he straightened. Fury and Natasha had already left and the look on his handler’s face was one Clint worked at ever not seeing. Where was the taser?

“How’d it go?”

“The place should be condemned,” Phil bit out.

“No, I mean…”

“I know what you meant, Barton. The lithium dioxide worked as expected. He’s in their bemoaning his daddy issues as we speak and I’m stuck on babysitting duty.”

“Maybe I can talk to him.” Clint crossed his fingers behind his back. “One orphan to another?”

“Sure.” Phil opened the car door. “I’ll be back later.”

After Phil drove off, Clint went inside and was floored at the level of destruction. He found Tony on the balcony.

“Jesus, Tony. What the hell?” Clint swung his arm around. “I mean, seriously, what the hell!”

“Fucking stop.” Tony rubbed his eyes in a lame attempt to hold back his hangover. “Nick Fury and your Coulson already read me the riot act.” Then he remembered and got to his feet. “Natalie Rushman is one of yours, too!”

“Natasha,” Clint corrected. “She hears you say that and you’ll be in therapy for the rest of your natural life.”

Tony waved him off and sat back down. His eyes went to the metal chest with his father’s name on it.

“Hey, Clint. I think Dad liked you more. He sure as hell loved you more.”

This was a sit-down conversation and took the seat across from his brother.

“It wasn’t like that, Tony, at least not from where I stood.” Clint leaned forward. “Howard was always trying to make up for shit that happened before. You always had it. I’m not saying it was right, but I think he was trying to erase the bad in my life.”

“You never called him Dad,” Tony pointed out. “He was a hard-ass.”

“Yeah, but I didn’t call him that for the reasons you think. It goes way back…from before.”

“Your real parents,” Tony confirmed. “You never talk about them or your brother.”

“My birth father…he was never a real father,” Clint said with a small uncomfortable laugh. “He’d take the grocery money and blow it on booze. My mother got a belt in the face if she said anything. When he was in one of his alcohol induced rages, my brother took the brunt when he could. I got what was left over.”

“God, Clint. I’m sorry.”

“Tony, it’s okay.”

“No, it’s not fucking okay. Never is.”

“Tony, that’s in my past and I left it behind the second you brought me home with you. It was not going to define me. Howard, Maria and you made sure of it in ways you don’t know.”

“And the old man?”

“I do know this, Tony. Howard thought you were smarter than he ever was on his best day. You had the “it” factor when it comes to the Einstein-level brilliance. That’s why he pushed you harder. You were destined for great things in the world. Everybody knew it but you.”

“I guess we should see what’s in the box, then.”

Clint grinned as he and Tony took it down to the lab.

~*~

 

The miniature Stark expo from 1974 was laid out as Tony and Clint looked it over.

“This would’ve been awesome to see back in the day,” Clint commented.

“Classic we do not want,” Tony replied. He looked over at Clint. “Thanks.”

“For what?”

“That bitch of a shot Romanov gave me in the neck. The second Fury told me what it was, I knew where it came from. Some good engineering there, little bro.”

“Now that your head’s clear, you should be able to find a replacement for the palladium.”

“ **We** will,” Tony informed him. “As long as Coulson doesn’t send you off to the penguins.”

“He knows I’m here.”

“Let’s get started.” Tony smacked his hands. “Jarvis!”

Tony and Clint lost track of time as they tore into the lab and built a collider for what they hoped was a new element. They hadn’t realized how much had passed when Phil returned.

“I heard you broke the perimeter,” Phil said with a side-look at Clint.

“That was like three years ago. Where’ve you been?”

“Doing some stuff.” Phil looked down into a crate and pulled out a shield. “Where’d you get this?”

“We need that!” Tony said pointing. “Bring it here.”

“Tony,” Clint pleaded.

The partially built Captain America shield was stuffed under an unlevel portion of the collider. Clint grimaced as Tony checked it with his leveler. He should never have told Tony about Phil’s love of all things Captain America.

“Perfect.” Tony grinned at an unhappy Phil Coulson.

“We have to leave,” Phil informed him.

“What? Why?” Tony asked.

“We’re needed in New Mexico.” Phil turned. “Barton.”

“One sec,” Clint told Tony before running after Phil. They stopped outside the glass door. “Hey, sir, maybe I can hang around a few hours. I don’t think it’ll be much longer.”

“An 0-8-4 was discovered in Puente Antiguo, New Mexico. Fury wants us on it immediately.”

“Any chance I can catch up with you?”

“Fine. You’ve got eight hours. Be at the safehouse. If you’re late, you’re going on report.”

“I’ll be there,” Clint promised. He wanted to hug Phil. “I promise.”

Clint made it to the safehouse just in time. Phil let him crawl into the backseat for some much-needed sleep. He slept most of the drive with the exception of eating a pack of powdered donuts that Phil had tossed onto his chest after a stop at a gas station.

 

~*~

 

“I can’t believe you told him,” Phil complained to Clint.

Tarps were being raised around them in preparation for the oncoming rainstorm. It was expected to be a soaker.

“I didn’t, not like you think I did,” Clint tried to explain.

“He knew I’d ask for the shield replica,” Phil said. “He used it for a brick out of spite and you know it.”

“It was for a good cause?” Phil actually rolled his eyes at him. That Clint had never seen before. “Sir, I told him in order to humanize you.”

Then he got a raised eyebrow for that comment.

“Humanize me? Have I somehow grown inhuman?”

“No…” Clint struggled with something that wouldn’t make matters worse. “It’s just that when you’re you, it comes across…”

“I’m going to stop you right now, Barton, because I don’t think your career could survive you finishing that sentence.”

Then Sitwell shows up. Clint sighed.

“Are you two having a domestic?” Sitwell asked, the gleam in his eye glowing happily.

“Agent Sitwell, I hope you have more to report on the disturbance at the hospital.”

“A little, Agent Coulson.”

“Get your report to me in the next hour.” Phil walked off.

“Who pissed in his coffee?” Jasper asked. “I’ve never seen him so put off.”

Clint shrugged his shoulders. He looked up at the night sky and stars were covered by the heavy clouds. It would be raining soon.

It was only a few hours later during the expected rainstorm, Clint found himself in the lift with his bow aimed at the blond giant beating the hell out of one of the toughest agents he knew. Even Natasha had trouble bringing him down during training.

After it was over and Phil was questioning the blond, Clint was drying off when his phone rang.

“Natasha, hey.”

“ _Clint, Rhodey’s suit has gone crazy. Vanko uploaded his own software_.”

“What?”

“ _Vanko works for Justin Hammer_.”

“Hammer must have installed his shit software when he upgraded the weapons after Rhodey took it.”

“ _Well, it’s in the process of trying to kill Tony with Rhodey in it. I can’t hack into it_.”

“Vanko overwrote the BIOS,” Clint said. “It’s the only way he could’ve got past Tony’s security.”

Clint used his phone to patch in Jarvis.

“Jarvis, have you been listening?”

“ _Yes, sir_.”

“Nat, you’ll need to reboot Rhodey’s suit and Jarvis will be able to overwrite the BIOS. Tony’s software will take over from there.”

“ _Hold on_.”

The wait felt forever, but a moment later Natasha was back.

“ _Okay, we’re good. Thanks_.”

“Is Tony okay?”

“ _I think so. Wait, there’s another heat signature. Clint, I’ve got to go_.”

She was gone and Clint stared at the phone. He turned around to see Phil with his arms folded.

“You didn’t happen to overhear that, did you?” Clint asked. Phil didn’t say a word and there was no doubt that his handler was pissed. “Okay, I guess you did. I think I can explain?”

Clint was sure he couldn’t talk his way out of this one.

“Agent Barton, you are to pack and get on a plane back to New York. You will report in to headquarters and confine yourself to quarters. We’ll talk when I get back.”

Phil spun on his heel and walked off.


End file.
